till death do we part
by evol le fox666
Summary: Where do you go when you die? Is there a second chance or a last glimpse at life before departing? L finds out in a peculiar way. "Did I not warn you? Did I not stress the point? Now look where you are, my friend, my enemy, my match."


Black charcoal rimmed eyes slowly blink open to see a mauve coloured mist twisting and swirling in a mesmerising display

Blah blah blah, (insert witty disclaimer here) I don't own death note. If I did Misa would be dead, Light would have come clean at the start and L would have waggles eyebrows punished him and Matsuda would have his own talk show.

Also Ryuk would be rolling in apples!

Ryuk: apples for Ryuk?

Me: noez! First I must own death note

Ryuk: Ehh? you wish to own death note?

Me: yush! Go smite the owners and you can have all the apples want!  
Ryuk: flies away to smite unworthy owners of death note

Me: and while we wait for Ryuk to come back you can read my crappy fanfic!! xx

Dark charcoal rimmed eyes slowly blink open to see a mauve coloured mist twisting and swirling in a mesmerising display. A flash of black and a pale hand reaches up to touch a head of unruly black hair. The hand moves so it is held at a distance where it can be observed better, the other moves to join the first one. Frail looking fingers curl into fists then slowly spread as if to make sure they are really there. But where exactly is there? The eyes dart around and a foot seems to take a step almost as if from nowhere.

Glancing down quizzically the eyes spot two pale and bare feet, one foot is slightly in front of the other waiting for the next step. The eyes continue with their examination and make there way up the un-muscled but long, pale and naked legs. A hand reaches down and barely touches an unmarred thigh. Fingers definitely brush against skin but it as if the legs and hands have become numb because there is no feeling. Hands become more persistent and begin to poke and pinch at the skin but there is no feeling.

Seeming to give up the hands continue their exploration of the smooth body. Fingers pass jutting hips and trace the trail of hair to the bellybutton, fingers linger and trace around the small seeming random hole in the smooth pale stomach. It is like the hands are discovering the body for the first time. Continuing their journey the fingers draw a line which should have tickled up the smooth chest and, now growing increasingly frustrated, pinches a nipple harshly but to no avail. As it has come to be expected there is not even a flicker of feeling. Finally the hands come to end of their journey, stopping as they reach the face. A single finger brushes against soft lips and the gesture seems to be familiar. For the first time a thought is formed. "Where am I? Who am I?"

As if in answer a mirror seems to materialize out of nowhere. Eyes gaze into the reflection and roam over the porcelain skinned body, slowly a hand is raised and fingers hesitate before touching the smooth glass and suddenly it all comes back in a rush; Wammys' house age 10, children glaring at him and snickering nastily, it wasn't his fault his intellect was at a higher level than their own; age 15, a tall building loomed over his small hunched body making him feel vulnerable, today he would be starting work, alone in the big wide world; a hotel room age 23, squatting on the floor reading intricate information, first finding out about the kira-case; the events following his joining with the police force: sifting out the loyal members from the untrustworthy ones, the observation of the two families by camera, and of course meeting for the first time with Raito.

Raito! He was sure the boy was kira, now if he could just prov- eyes, brown eyes filled with triumph and hate and a smirk to match. Raito's' eyes were the last thing he had seen before he had…. died. It took a while to realise it but he, the great L, was dead.

"Lawliet," he says in a hoarse whisper, almost unable to believe it. His name is spoken with relief and a satisfaction of knowing it is no longer a crime to speak his own name aloud. 14 years he has not uttered that name for fear of being murdered or tracked down. The fact he can speak the name so freely now is mind boggling.

"Lawliet," he whispers again, "Lawliet," he gets louder and more excited, "Lawliet, Lawliet, my name is Lawliet!"

His voice seems to have provoked a reaction from the mirror that is still in front of him but temporarily forgotten in the heat of the moment.

The mirror flashes and shows a moving picture. L, because that is still what he prefers to call himself, sees the flash of movement and tries to make out the picture. He leans carefully closer to the glass and is surprised to see what he thinks is Raito and some of the remaining team standing beside him as backup in what looks like a deserted old factory room. Across from Raito and the others stand some other important looking people and a small boy crouched, or as L liked to call it, squatting on the hard cold ground. The boy was dressed, by far in the strangest attire. White pants and a white long sleeved shirt that seemed a little too big for him hung loosely to his body. White socks covered the boys' feet and to top it off, a mop of ruffled messy hair that he was now curling a strand of around his finger.

"Near?" he whispers uncertainly just as hoarse as the first time he had muttered his own name. Cautiously he raises a hand and slowly reaches out until his finger tips are hovering from the mirrors surface. Throwing caution to the wind he thrust his hand at the mirror immediately feeling a pull in his arm. The first feeling he has had since dying.

Being pulled straight through the mirror L looks around quickly but he is falling into what seems to be a dark pit. Before he can gather the breath to yell though, the falling suddenly stops and at a glance he notices he is in the same room he had seen in the mirror. People and all. At a second glance though it seems another man has joined the party. He looks worse than the others, his eyes are wide and filled with fear, sweat is forming in copious amounts and he is standing on Nears side. Was he with Near?

"Ahem," L attempts to clear his throat noisily but no one even acknowledged they had heard a sound. "Umm," L tried again but to no avail. What was wrong with these people? Suddenly a naked man presumed to be dead just shows up and everyone just goes on as if nothing has happe- no! it couldn't be. He was not a ghost. Surely not! But it seems that way as he assesses the situation. Raitos face looks pale and drawn and the look in his eyes is that of a cornered man. The task force seems to be looking at his as if he were an alien.

Suddenly Raito cracks, "this is a set up! I don't even know this guy!" he screams.

The strange new man from before seems to gasp then groan in despair as if his whole world has been taken from his grasp.

"Light, why?" Matsuda whispers in a strangled voice.

L feels sorry for Matsuda; he must have believed Raito till the very end, until now.

Two men walk forward and begin to handcuff him and L watches smiling glad that Near had finished what he had started. Suddenly Raito panics and runs or more appropriately stumbles to the nearest wall.

Near just cocks his head to the side, "it's over, you've lost the game."

Game? So Near thought like him as well. Did he hate to loose as much as himself he wondered?

Unexpectedly a dark shape glides down from through the roof and lands without a sound behind the task force.

"it's a pleasure to meet you Mr Shinigami," Near drawls gazing directly in the death god's direction.

"Ehh?" Ryuk grunts looking startled.

"I'm Near," he continues.

"nice to meet you too, I'm Ryuk," he seems to have gotten over his initial shock and is quite enjoying the show.

The shocked confusion on Raito's face at the moment is the only clue he feels anything.

L is still watching the death god avidly. He can see Ryuk? Maybe if you have touched the death note before you have died you can see the death god? Suddenly Ryuk turns and winks at L before turning back as if nothing has happened. Could death gods see dead people? Ghosts?

L shrugs it off, there was obviously a simple explanation for this, he would just find it out later.

He turns and listens to Near explain how he captured Raito leaving not even the simplest detail out. L glows with pride. He remembers the first time he met with the small pale boy and recalled being impressed with the boy to the point of almost becoming jealous. Listening to Nears speech he almost wishes he was still alive so he could tell the boy how well he had done.

Nears speech dose not have the same effect on Raito though. The boy, or man he supposed he should call him now, was almost spitting in fury. Speaking rubbish about how only he could rid the world of evil and how he was a god, "if I don't do it, who will?" he screams his voice seeming to pierce the detectives skull.

"I bet Mello knew in his heart neither of us would be able to obtain our goal and surpass our mentor, L," Near said quietly almost as if he were thinking aloud, "but together, together we can stand with L!"

L felt a tug at his heart and without knowing it L drew closer to, not Near but Raito. He wanted to watch his reactions, watch him sweat as Near piled more evidence against him.

The room grew silent again as Near finished his speech. L waits wanting to see what Raito will do next. As if on cue Raito begins chuckling causing everyone to turn their heads and stare as his chuckling turns into mad laughter. As abruptly as the laughter begins, it stops leaving the task force looking stupefied.

"that's right I am kira!" he growls throatily and L wonders if in the time he was gone, Raito went insane. "I have become justice!"

As Raito screams the word justice, L whispers it with him. He feels a stab of pity for Raito but it is quickly replaced with the knowledge that he could have handed the notebook in from the beginning. He could have been an honest, innocent detective or part of the police force by now, L may have even still been alive, but he had stupidly chosen the path of no return.

Raito seems to swiftly compose himself and it is eerie and unnerving the way he speaks calmly to Near, as though assessing the situation while planning an escape.

L walks with Raito and wonders what the killer is up to now. How will he bluff his way out of this one?

A movement catches Ls' eye and he sees Raito fiddling with his watch "are both real?" he asks, meaning the death note. A second before the others L realizes what Raito is about to do and wishes he could yell a warning to the others.

Raito screams with the air of a madman and scribbles urgently on a piece of the death note and a split second after Near yells in warning a gunshot goes off.

L was sure if he were alive right now his heart would be trying to beat its way out of his chest.

"Matsuda you idiot!" Raito screams in rage.

In a weak voice Matsuda asks, "what was it all for then?"

Raito just laughs and explains to Matsuda his own selfish reasoning. Matsuda just shakes his head sadly.

Raito suddenly screams in rage and attempts to use his blood as ink, but another series of gunshots and Raito is on the ground, "Mikami, what are you waiting for, write their names, kill them now!" Raito screams, spit and a bit of blood spray from his mouth.

The Raito L knew from when he was alive and the Raito he sees now are two completely different people. He used to be so composed. He had become too sure of himself and slipped up. His own planning had backfired leaving his true nature to be revealed.

The man whom L did not recognise before groans in anguish and whispers the name "god." His last words and his last act for his god. He stabs himself and L watches with interest as the blood sprays like a fountain from the wound.

Raito takes the opportunity as the task force are distracted by Mikami rolling on the ground screaming and stumbles to the door and through into the sunlight. L follows and gives one last glance to the scene behind him and wishes he could stay and watch Near just a little bit longer.

L follows Raito through buildings and up flights of stairs all the while remembering times he had tried and almost succeeded in outwitting the boy. 'He should be running out of energy soon' L thinks to himself. As if hearing Ls' thoughts Raito begins to slow down and stumbles to a stop on a flight of stairs. He painfully lowers himself onto a step and lays back uncomfortably, chest heaving and breathing in short painful pants.

"I gave you a chance to come clean Raito-kun," L whispers gently, "you did not take it. Now you are reaping the repercussions for your heinous crimes. Did I not warn you? Did I not stress the point? Now look where you are, my friend, my enemy, my match."

Raito groans in self pity, "dad," he calls weakly. Those who were worth nothing to him before suddenly have their uses, "M-Misa."

"she will join you soon enough Raito-kun. Look how you call to those you did not see fit to identify as loved ones. You are no god, you are pathetic."

Raitos' breathing is becoming laboured now and a trickle of blood escapes from dry cracked lips. L longs to reach over and smear the blood over raitos' chin. He reaches out and his fingers linger over the dying youths lips. Gently he reaches out and touches the sticky red blood.

Brown eyes fly open and stare in shock, "L?" he manages to whisper in a croaky pained voice.

L pulls his hand back slowly and stares at his finger, a smear of blood stains the pure untainted skin, "I win Raito-kun. How does it feel to have lost to a dead man?"

"f-fuck y-you L," he sneers, "see y-you in h-hell!" His eyes look heavy now and it seems as if he is struggling to keep them open.

"no Raito-kun. Nether heaven nor hell awaits you, just an eternal purgatory of black abyss. As for me, I am unsure."

That was the last thing Raito saw before his eyes closed for eternal nothingness, Ls' dark emotionless eyes reflecting some of the triumph he had felt when L had passed away.


End file.
